In a season where storm clouds have poured gloom all over a scuffling Colorado Rockies bunch, here are prospects offering glimmers of hope with their respective encouraging results on the field. While pitchers have had success throughout the system, Spokane features a potent 1-2-3 lineup, led by the Rockies’ current top prospect.
We’ll lead off with Ryan Ritter, who entered 2025 as Colorado’s #13 ranked prospect. Ritter earned the Pacific Coast League’s Player of the Month for May. The right-handed shortstop raked to a lofty slash line of .381/.445/.918 during May, good for a league best OPS of 1.363, including 12 home runs and 31 RBI. The 24-year old Ritter owns a stellar career minor league OBP of .386, along with an .896 OPS. Ritter received an early call to the big leagues on June 6 when Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar was placed on the Injured List. Since his promotion, the 2022 American Baseball Coaches Association Golden Glove award winner, has yet to find his groove, batting right around the .200 mark. When a healthy Tovar returns, it will be interesting to see the career path of Ritter. Will he remain at shortstop? Might he begin to see significant time at 2B or 3B? Could he be moved in a trade? Catcher Braxton Fulford was also pulled up to Colorado the same day as Ritter. Fulford was in the midst of his finest year as a pro, producing a 1.001 OPS. Two other hitting prospects of note currently in Albuquerque, #28 Warming Bernabel and #31 Sterlin Thompson, currently are carrying OPS’s of .881 & .865 respectively. Bernabel and Thompson are both former high-ranking prospects, known for their prowess at the plate.
Centerfielder Cole Carrigg (#6) is an exciting player, who can spark a club with his play in the field, and on the basepaths. After a rocky May in AA, the speedy Carrigg is back on track in June, reaching base to a .429 clip for Hartford. With 86 career MiLB stolen bases in two and a half seasons, the former San Diego State Aztec may bring a spark with his speed on the bases and his cannon in the field. All signs point to the versatile 23-year-old settling in center field. During his college days, when not pursuing the outfield, the switch hitter regularly logged time at shortstop, third, and behind the plate. The Rockies would wholeheartedly embrace a spark plug and table-setter to their lineup. Third basemen Kyle Karros (#17) continues his steady trajectory. The son of former big leaguer Eric Karros continues to reach base at high clip. After missing time on Injured List, the former UCLA Bruin owns a .325/.426/.488 for AA Hartford.
High-A Spokane features 3 talented hitters at the top of their lineup, all destined for a date with AA. Lead-off hitter, outfielder Jared Thomas (#15), gets things started with a .313/.416/.890 slash. The 2024 2nd round selection from the University of Texas has also banged out 9 home runs while swiping 19 bases. Last year’s 1st round selection, Charlie Condon (#2), is healthy and ripping away. The #3 overall pick currently sports a .351 average to pair with a lofty .474 OBP. With Chase Dollander now “graduated”, Condon becomes Colorado’s top prospect. He has seen time in left field and first base. Former Kent State Golden Eagle Aidan Longwell (Prospects to Watch Outside the Top 50) has walloped 8 HR while collecting 43 RBI. The former 2023 17th round selection holds a .901 OPS. All three appear destined for the challenges of AA in the very near future. 2024 3rd round draftee from South Carolina, backstop Cole Messina (#26), has shown a knack for reaching base, maintaining a .354 OPB.
To the mound we go, and due to injuries and shortcomings at the major league level, many prospects have faced their first taste of big league hitters. Juan Mejia (#44) is holding his own at the major league level. Thus far, the 24-year-old fireballer has fanned 24 batters in 21 plus innings, while pitching to a 3.32 ERA. Chase Dollander (#1) and Zach Agnos (#32) both have looked good in AAA, while Dollander remains in Denver, Agnos has returned to Albuquerque to hone his arsenal. Lefty Carson Palmquist (10) has been solid vs. AAA hitters, pitching to a 3.72 ERA. Palmquist has been on the shuttle from Denver to Albuquerque (7.76 ERA in Colorado). Feel good story, former 2018 1st Round selection Ryan Rolison looked good early in the season (3-1, 3.72 ERA) and earned a trip to Denver. He battled injuries in 2023 and 2024. Another former first round selection in 2022, Gonzaga’s Gabriel Hughes, earned a promotion to AAA from Hartford the last day of May. Hughes posted a 3.07 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in AA.
Two hurlers that started the year in Spokane, earned their way to Hartford with sensational starts to the season. Left-handed Welinton Herrera (#20), may find himself in the Rockies Top 10 Prospects later this summer. In 27 ⅓ IP, the 21-year-old has been stingy on hitters, recording a ERA and WHIP of .98. Herrera has fanned 45 batters, while walking 10 and converted 10 of 11 save opportunities for the High-A Indians. McCade Brown was dominant in hitter-friendly Spokane, posting a 1.60 ERA, striking out 48 in 33 ⅔ IP. Standing 6-6, Brown is a former 2021 3rd round pick from Indiana. He is once again healthy, and another rising Rockies prospect. (Prospects to Watch Outside the Top 50). Other pitchers of note having success in Hartford: Sean Sullivan (#12), Mason Albright (#36, promoted to AAA), Brayan Castillo, and Carson Skipper. Sullivan owns a 2.06 ERA and WHIP of 0.81 in ’25; while Castillo has converted 5 of 6 save opportunities (2.67 ERA).
Additional pitchers of note. In Spokane, starters Michael Prosecky (#42) and Konner Eaton have both logged over 60 IP, with identical WHIPs of 1.27. Relievers and closers in college, Cade Denton (#49, Oral Roberts) and Davison Palermo (North Carolina), have both performed well for Spokane. Lebarron Johnson (Texas) was promoted from Single-A Fresno to Spokane in late May. Brody Brecht (#8), currently on the IL, has struck out 34 in 19.1 IP for the Grizzlies. Nathan Blasick, a 19th round selection from New Orleans, has converted 11 of 12 save opportunities while posting a 2.56 ERA in Fresno. Former LSU stalwart Fidel Ulloa owns a 1.87 ERA in 33 plus innings.
Brian is in his second year covering the Colorado Rockies. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Brian grew up in Northern California a fan of the great Oakland A’s teams of the early 1970’s. From 1998-2014 Brian coached the Men’s Basketball team at Reedley (Community) College, a short drive away from the home of the Rockies Single-A club, the Fresno Grizzlies. Recently Brian was named Athletic Director at Parlier High School (#100percentParlierPanthers!). Brian and his wife LeAnn were married in 2001, and have two children; son Noah and daughter Eleanor who attends San Diego State. Follow Brian on Twitter @100percent3G.
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
- Brian Fonseca
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